Clear ice pellet maker

ABSTRACT

Ice pellets are formed on orbitally moving freezing studs guided to dip repeatedly into a water supply until the desired pellet size has built up and is sensed by a size selector which activates an ice harvester ejector to displace the pellets from the studs. Water supply control, easily cleanable water tray and segmented plastic belt or drum type stud carriers are provided. Mounting of the device may be effected in the freezing or refrigerating compartment of a domestic refrigerator, utilizing freezing air from the freezing compartment.

United States Patent 1191 Maleck Feb. 12, 1974 CLEAR ICE PELLET MAKER [76] Inventor: Leroy R. Maleck, 1012 W. Frank St., Galesburg, 111. 61401 [22] Filed: June 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 266,277

[52] US. Cl 62/138, 62/188, 62/345 [51] Int. Cl. F25c 1/10 [58] Field of Search. 62/345, 75, 352, 138, 72, 353,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,310,161 3/1967 Kraft, Jr 198/193 3,206,940 9/1965 Archer 62/353 3,393,531 7/1968 Parr 62/353 1,857,122 5 1932 511611111111..." 62/353 3,580,007 5 1971 Bauerlein 62/72 2,900,804 8/1959 l 'l C. Ri s ir1 g 62/346 3,418,823 12/1968 P. B. s. Vivai 621138" 2,026,214 12/1935 R. H. Chilton ..62/345 3,028,094 4/1962 E Burhop .236/12 Primary Examiner-William E. Wayner Assistant Btaminer-William E. Tapolcai Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT lce pellets are formed on orbitally moving freezing studs guided to dip repeatedly into a water supply until the desired pellet size has built up and is sensed by a size selector which activates an ice harvester ejector to displace the pellets from the studs. Water supply control, easily cleanable water tray and segmented plastic belt or drum type stud carriers are provided. Mounting of the device may be effected in the freezing or refrigerating compartment of a domestic refrigerator, utilizing freezing air from the freezing compartment.

27 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENIEDFEB 12 I974 S; 79 IL 1656 saw 3 0r 3 CLEAR ICE PELLET MAKER This invention relates to improvements in clear ice pellet makers, particularly adapted for installation in domestic refrigerators.

Although pellet makers for domestic refrigerators have been proposed, prior arrangements have suffered from various deficiencies, complexities, inefficiencies and disadvantages. Some require timers or thermostatic controls to initiate pellet removal. Some require circulation of refrigerant alternating with circulation of heated or at least above freezing fluid to effect or initiate pellet removal or ejection.

An important object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages, deficiencies, inefficiencies, shortcomings and problems in prior ice makers and to attain important advantages and improvements as will become apparent.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved pellet size selector means in an ice pellet making device.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved ice pellet harvesting means in an ice pellet maker.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for efficiently freezing ice pellets, especially adapted for domestic refrigerators.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide new and improved water supply and control means for a clear ice pellet maker.

A yet further object of the invention is to increase the efficiency and improve the construction of clear ice pellet makers.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction'with the accompanying drawings although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts embodied in the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of a clear ice pellet maker embodying features of the invention, partially in section to reveal details;

FIG. 2 is an electrical operating schematic relating to the ice maker;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional elevational view disclosing a modified mounting of the device;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the device;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a modified clear ice pellet maker according to the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 6.

On reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, a representative embodiment of the invention comprises a clear ice pellet making unit 10 adapted to be mounted in a domestic refrigerator 11 including an insulated wall 12. In FIG. 3, the wall 12 separates an above-freezing, fresh food refrigerating compartment 13 from a freezing compartment 14. In this instance, the unit 10 is mounted on the refrigerating compartment side of the wall 12.

Desirably the unit 10 is compactly housed within a downwardly opening casing comprising a mounting side plate panel 15 and a hollow cover shell 17 which provides the opposite side, opposite ends and top walls for the housing, with the plate 15 providing the opposite side wall. Suitable means such as a transverse connecting rods 18 and screws 19 separably secure the plate 15 and the cover 17 together. Means such as screws 20 secure the plate 15 to the wall 12.

Within the chamber provided by the housing 15, 17 are mounted means for making clear ice pellets, selecting the size of pellets to be made, harvesting the selected size of pellets, a water supply and means for controlling the water supply. In the illustrated example in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the pellet making means comprise a set of freezing studs 21 made from a high heat transfer material such as aluminum, copper or other suitable conducting materials and mounted on an orbital carrier such as an endless belt 22 made from a suitable insulating material and preferably in the form of a plastic belt constructed, for example, from polypropylene. Desirably the belt 22 is molded in one piece and provided with a suitable series of stud-carrying segments 23 each connected to its neighbors by an integral flexible hinge 24 provided by a transverse grooving of the belt at the hinge. Each of the studs 21 has a frustoconically tapered body portion projecting centrally from the outer side of its carrying belt section or segment 23. At the inert side of the segment, each of the studs has a heat transfer base 25 provided with heat transfer improving means comprising a plurality of fins 27.

Means mounting the belt 22 for orbital movement and for driving the same comprise a square idler pulley 28 carried by an idler shaft 29 and a driving pulley 30 carried by a drive shaft 31. The pulleys 28 and 30 are mounted in horizontally spaced relation within the housing and with the belt 22 tensioned thereover and therebetween, with the respective square faces of the pulleys dimensioned to engage with the individual ones of the belt sections 23, with the corners at the traction surfaces of the pulleys engaging at the respective hinges 24 such that the belt by reason of flexibility at the hinges can readily yield conformably to the rotating pulley in each instance, as indicated in dash outline in FIG. 1. This arrangement enables providing the heat transfer bases 25 and the fins 27 of the studs in relatively large size while maintaining the belt sections 23 of as small size as practical, and provides additional advantages as will become apparent. To accommodate the base portions of the studs 25, the pulleys 28 and 30 are desirably constructed of aligned spaced parallel respective outer plates 32 and inner plates 33 keyed to the respective shafts 29 and 31.

Means are provided for introducing freezing air from the freezer compartment 14 to the heat transfer bases 25 and the fins 27 of the studs 21. To this end as shown in FIG. 3, a freezing air duct 34 within the freezing compartment communicates through a delivery porthole 35 in the wall 12 with a heat transfer chamber defined within the belt 22. The freezing air is drawn into and circulated through the duct 34 and then the belt enclosed heat transfer chamber by means such as a blower fan 37 driven by a suitably mounted electrical motor 38 operating through a suitable gear reduction to also drive the shaft 31 for activating the belt 22 through its ice making orbit. For access into the heat transfer chamber within the belt 22, the idler pulley inner plate 33 may be of spider construction for substantially free movement of air therethrough by way of a hole 39 in the panel 15 registering therewith and with the hole 35. Air returns from the heat transfer chamber to the freezing compartment 14 through the inner plate 33 of the driving pulley 30 which may also be of spider form for escape of the air outwardly through a discharge opening 40 in alignment therewith in the panel and a return porthole 41 in the wall 12 through which the shaft 31 extends. The air thus returned to the freezing compartment is again lowered to the desired freezing temperature. Circulation as thus effected is visualized by directional arrows in FIG. 3. In order to contain the freezing air within the heat transfer chamber, the side edges of the belt 22 are in sliding sealing engagement with respective smoothly finished sealing plates 42 carried by the inner faces of the side walls of the housing. If desired the sealing plates 42 may be formed from a plastic material having self-lubricating properties such as nylon or polytetrafluoroethylene although, if preferred, they may be made from polished metal plates where the housing is formed from an insulative plastic material. In length and width the plates 42 are dimensioned to assure continuous sealing contact therewith of the edges of the belt 22. It will be understood, of course, that the plate 42 at the inner housing panel 15 is perforated in alignment with the holes 39 and 40. Within the holes 39 and 40 suitable respective bearing spiders may be provided for the idler shaft 29 and drive shaft 31. At their outer ends the shafts may be suitably journaled in bearing structure provided by the outer wall of the housing cover 17 and by the outer plate 42.

Means are provided for supplying water in a manner to freeze as clear ice on the studs 21. To this end, a water tray 44 is operatively mounted in the bottom of the housing, in this instance dimensioned to fit vertically slidably within the open bottom of the housing, with the end walls of the tray engaging freely slidably within the lower margins of the end walls of the housing and the side walls of the tray fitting freely slidably within the lower margins of the side walls of the housing. This enables the water tray 44 to be readily lifted into position by a straight upward movement and to be removed by straight downward movement relative to the housing. Such movements are facilitated by the provision of a tray supporting bracket 45 of generally L-shaped cross section (FIGS. 2 and 5) having a horizontal supporting shelf flange 47 of suitable length and width to provide a stable support for the bottom of the tray. For mounting the bracket 45 it is provided with an integral downturned mounting flange 48 along the inner edge of the supporting flange 47 for close sliding engagement with a downward extension supporting flange 49 which projects adequately below the bottom of the housing for this purpose. Relative sliding mounting connection of the flange 48 with the flange 49 is effected in a manner to enable ready operative positioning and removal of the tray 44 by horizontal longitudi- 'nal sliding of the bracket 45 relative to the tray bottom, the flange 49 being providing for this purpose with fixed, horizontally spaced shouldered rivets 50 extending through identical, cooperative, horizontally spaced generally dog-leg slots 51 in the flange 48. The slots 51 have short horizontal lower end portions 52 exteding in the same horizontal direction and respective upwardly diagonal portions 53 extending obliquely away from the portions 52. The dog-leg portions 52 and 53 are dimensioned to enable support of the tray 44 in its operative position relative to the freezing studs 21 when the rivet members 'are engaged in the horizontal portions 52, and when the bracket 45 is shifted horizontally to align the oblique upward portions 53 of the slots with the rivets the bracket carrying the tray lowers as enabled by the diagonal slot portions until the rivet members are engaged in the upper ends of such portions whereupon the tray 44 will be lowered sufficiently to clear its upper edges below the lower edges of the housing to enable sliding of the tray from the bracket 45 for cleaning. To facilitate manipulation of the bracket 45, a downturned handle flange 54 may be provided on the end of the bracket flange 47 which is nearest the access door of the refrigerator in which the unit 10 is mounted. In its operative upwardly located position, the water tray 44 is in such relation to the downwardly projecting studs 21 in the lower run of the carrying belt 22 as to enable these studs to dip down into a body of water 55 in the tray and maintained substantially constant at a level close to but sufficiently below the top of the tray to provide for the displacement of initially the mass of the studs 21 dipping thereinto and as freezing progresses the mass of ice pellets 57 which build up on the studs.

An especially advantageous build up of the ice pellets 57 on the studs 21 is attained by virtue of the unique repeated dipping into and partial retreat of each of the studs 21 with respect to the water level 55 as these studs are respectively advanced in the travel of the belt 22 over and between the square pulleys 28 and 30. As will be observed on comparison of the full line and dash line positions in FIG. 1, in the horizontally parallel condition of the pulleys the lower run studs 21 dip only to a limited extent into the water 55 and as the pulleys move around so that a corner of each dips down toward the water tray, so that the lower run of the belt is correspondingly shifted downwardly, the lower run studs dip to maximum extent into the water to freezingly build up on the studs into attractively rounde'd shape of the pellets 57. This also has beneficial effect in draining the pellet which swings up from the water at the end of the lower or water receiving run of the carrying belt, enabling fairly rapid operation of the device and maintaining a fairly uniform symmetry in the ice pellets. By reason of the overhead relation of the freezing studs 21 relative to the water supply 55, entrapment of air or impurities in the ice pellets is avoided, impurities dropping to the bottom of the tray 44, and the resulting pellets being substantially crystal clear. In the example shown, five of the freezing studs 21 are in dipping relation to the water in the lower run of the carrying belt, although a larger or smaller number may be provided for, and a plurality of rows of the studs may be provided to multiply the number of pellets simultaneously formed by the number of rows of studs on a wider belt, as preferred.

Means are provided for selecting the size of pellets desired in a reasonable range, within the capabilities of the device, and operating to effect automatic harvesting of the pellets of desired size. For this purpose, a selector assembly 58 is located at the outbound end of the generally oval orbit. As an important feature of the selector, sensing means are provided comprising a sensor or measuring finger 59 of arched form having a hub 60 at one end pivotally mounted on a shaft 61 extending between the side walls of the housing beyond the outbound end of the orbit and with the finger arching in clearance relation over the path of the outbound belt and then ice pellets and engageable at its free end with the pellet which first reaches the upper most run of the belt at that part of the orbit. Means such as a pin 62 providing a stop or rest for the arm 59 holds it normally at a slightly closer than a minimum or smaller size pellet detecting position so that until at least the minimum size of pellet has built up on the freezing studs, the sensor tip will remain out of contact with the developing pellets. After the pellets have built up to the preferred size by repeated running through the water, the sensor 59 is displaced to trigger means herein comprising a microswitch 63 having a customary switch button 64 engaged by and pressed by the sensor to close the normally open switch. For enabling ready setting adjustment of the switch 63 for different sizes of ice pellets, the switch may be pivotally mounted as by means of a pivot 65 adjacent to one end, while the opposite end is normally biased as by means of a spring 66 toward and against a setting or adjusting cam 67 on a shaft 68 and adapted to be manipulated by means of a readily accessibleknob 69 which is provided with indexing means 70 to adjust the cam with regard to indicia 71 at a convenient location on the outside of the cabinet indicating, for example, small, medium, and large size of pellets selectively.

Under the control of the selector 58 are harvesting means comprising a harvesting assembly 72 located at the inbound end of the pellet freezing orbit and operative to eject the pellets 57 of selected size from the studs 21. In a desirable construction, the harvesting assembly comprises a forked arm 73 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which is normally maintained clear of the orbiting studs 21 and ice pellets 57 but is movable into harvesting position on instructions relayed thereto from the selector 58. For this purpose, the harvesting fork 72 is provided at its proximal and with a hub 74 typically mounted on a shaft 75 located sufficiently beyond the inbound orbit path to enable swinging of the fork be tween a clearance inactive position as shown in full outline to a harvesting position as shown in dash outline wherein the distal end portions of the fingers of the fork bear against the belt 24 to receive the exposed base end portions of the successive studs 21 between the inner ends of the formed pellets 57 and the belt within the bifurcation of the harvester fork which provides a wide enough slot to accommodate the studs but is narrower than the width of the pellets so that as the belt 22 advances toward the fork, the pellets are successively forced off of the studs which to facilitate this are desirably of a highly polished or smooth surface and tapered as shown. Further, to facilitate action of the harvesting fork 73, one of the belt sections 23 is free from a freezing stud so that on activation of the fork it will make initial contact with that section of the remove the successive formed pellets from the studs as they pass to and through the fork. As the pellets 57 are stripped from the studs they are guided as by means of a deflector vane 77 which may be carried by one side of the fork, to discharge through a suitable opening 78 in one side wall of the housing, schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. Any suitable receptacle may be provided for receiving the finished ice pellets which because of the substantial distance they have travelled from the outbound end of the orbit are quite dry by the time they reach the harvesting fork.

Means for motivating the fork.between the inactive and active positions comprise a bimetallic actuator in the form of an elongated 'arm 79 having its proximal end fixedly secured as by means of a stud 79a projecting from the housing panel 15, with the distal end of the actuator connected to the upper end portion of a link 80 which has its lower end operatively connected with a crank arm 81 rigid with the hub 74. The arrangement is such that normally the actuator 79 through the link 80 acts on the crank arm 81 to maintain the fork 73 in the inactive position wherein the upper end portion of the fork may be in engagement with a stop 82 comprising, in this instance, a downturned flange on a deflector baffle 83 extending from the top wall of the housing in overlying relation to the inbound, pellet harvesting end of the freezing orbit. Upon instructions from the selector, the bimetallic actuator 79 is heated causing it to warp upwardly, thus by means of the link 80 rock ing the crank arm 81 and correspondingly rocking the fork 73 into its harvesting relation to the belt 22. Immediately on completion of the harvesting, the actuator 79 promptly resumes its normal harvesting fork in activating relation.

Means including a float controlled assembly 84, are provided for maintaining level of the water 55 in the tray 44. Such assembly includes a float 85 normally riding in the water preferably within the end portion of the tray located near the harvesting assembly 72 which normally will be at the rear of the ice making unit located adjacent to the back of the compartment of the refrigerator within which the unit is mounted. In this area of the unit, room is provided for a water supply control switch 87 which may be located in the upper portion of the housing such as above the deflector baffle 83 and is of the normally closed micro-switch variety including a button 88 adapted to be pressed by a switch lever 89 for opening the switch by action of an upwardly extending plunger 90 fixed on the float 85. Thus, when the water level in the tray is at the preferred level the float through the plunger 90 opens the switch and when the water level drops the switch automatically closes, to complete an electrical circuit through a solenoid 91 (FIG. 2) to open a control valve 92 in a water supply line 93 discharging into an intake 94 leading into the back wall of the housing to deposit water into the tray 44. It will be understood, of course, that the portion of the water duct 93 within the refrigerator may be of suitable insulating material such as plastic tubing to avoid frosting over or freezing.

Automatically operable trip means are provided to assure that the water supply valve 92 remains closed when the tray 44 is removed as for cleaning and that the valve can be opened only when the tray is in its fully operative functional position in the housing. To this end, a trip lever 95 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the side panel 15 adjacently above the position of the upper edge of the operatively positioned tray 44 such that one end portion of the lever will be engaged by and cause the lever to be pivoted, clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1, by the tray edge. Thereby an upwardly extending link 97 connected to the opposite end portion of the lever 95 is caused to be depressed to lower an actuating head 98 on its upper end into clearance relation to a stop head 99 on the upper end portion of the plunger rod 90. This enables the float actuated plunger to operate freely vertically as motivated by the float 85 and guided by a bracket 100 to control the switch 87 through the lever 89. However, when the tray 44 is lowered, biasing means such as a tension spring 101 connected between the linkengaged portion of the trip lever 95 and the bracket 100 swings the trip lever counterclockwise, causing the link 97 to be thrust upwardly so that the actuating head 98 thereon engages the stop head 99 on the float plunger, thrusting the rod 90 upwardly to drive the switch lever 89 into switch opening position and holding it there until operative position of the tray 44 is resumed to deactivate the trip mechanism in opposition to bias of the spring 101. Thereby complete safety is assured against discharge of water into the unit when the tray 44 is not in proper operating position.

In FIG. 4 is illustrated a manner of mounting the clear ice pellet making unit within the freezing compartment of the refrigerator 11, as by mounting the unit on an outer insulated wall 102 of the refrigerator. For this purpose, suitable brackets 103 are attached in any preferred manner to and between the inner side of the wall 102 and the housing panel and maintain a suitably spaced relation between the wall and the unit to accommodate the freezing air duct 34 and the motor and gear unit 38 in the space, both the duct and the motor gear unit being mounted on the outer side of the panel 15 and with the duct in direct communication with the inside of the housing and more particularly the heat transfer chamber therein to the same effect as described herein above, namely, to circulate freezing, i.e., sub-freezing, air from the freezer compartment into the heat transfer chamber and return the air, by blower propulsion, to the freezing compartment.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, a modified freezing unit 104 is exemplified comprising a rotary drum 105 provided with ice pellet freezing studs 107 projecting from its perimeter and desirably mounted in generally spirally oriented rows with a limited segmental area 108 of the perimeter free from studs to accommodate the harvester fork. In this instance the drum 105 provides a thin, preferably low heat transfer material drum wall defining therewithin a freezing chamber into which extend the transfer base and fins of these studs which are similar to the stud bases 25 and fins 27 already described. The drum is adapted to be placed in communication with the freezing compartment of the refrigerator in suitable manner such as by means of the duct and blower arrangement previously herein described, suitably modified for the purpose, with the motor for the blower also driving the drum on its shaft 109. Operation of the drum 108 is within a suitable housing 110, with a water tray 111 in the lower part thereof to which is supplied a body of water 112 into which the studs 107 dip in rotation of the tray. Water level control and other features involving the tray may be on the order of those already described.

Pellet size selecting means 113 and pellet harvesting means I 14 may be generally similar to the corresponding means in the form of FIG. 1. Accordingly, the selector means include a sensing arm or finger 115 operatively related to a switch arm 117 of a microswitch 118 which is mounted for adjustment by means such as a cam 119 to enable selecting the size of pellets within a reasonable range. Controlled by the selector is a bimetallic actuator 120 operatively controlling a harvester fork 121 having a plurality of harvester fingers 122 which are adapted to engage the perimeter of the drum and are spaced apart to provide gaps receptive of the studs 107 to strip the finished pellets therefrom on instructions from the selector means 113. Operation of the bimetallic actuator is adapted to swing the harvester fork 121 between the harvesting position as shown in dash outline in FIG. 6 and in full outline in FIG. 7 and the inactive position as shown in full outline in FIG. 6, the fork being mounted pivotally on an axle or shaft 123. To assist in retaining the harvester fork 121 in either of its positions, a detent spring 124 may be provided engageable with respective flat shoulders 125 in respectively the fully inactive position and the fully operative position of the fork.

Operating circuitry for any form of the invention disclosed is schematically shown in FIG. 2. Depicted in full outline in this Figure is a circuit especially suitable for operational control of the unit when it is mounted in the fresh food or refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator. Through leads 127 the circuit is adapted to be connected with any suitable source of electrical current such as a common house power supply. For manual control of the circuit, a on-off switch 128 is provided in the circuit. In addition to the motor 38, the switch 63, the bitmetallic actuator 79, the switch 87 and the solenoid 91 in the circuit, means may be provided for controlling the circuit when the refrigerator goes into automatic defrost, for example a bimetal thermostat 129 (FIGS. 2 and 3) located in the freezing air supply duct and which may be set to open at approximately 18 F. and close at approximately 12 F.

In addition the circuit may include a resistance heater 130 which may be mounted on the underside of the water tray supporting bracket shelf flange 47 to heat the tray under circumstances where it is deemed desirable to have such a heater. On the other hand, this heater 130 may be eliminated if desired where the unit is mounted in the fresh food or refrigerating compartment. Instead of employing the bimetallic thermostat 129, it may be eliminated, and the circuit provided with an automatic defrost timer 131 shown in dot dash outline, with the circuit modified accordingly as further depicted in dot dash outline, and when thus modified, it will be understood that the bimetal thermostat 129 will not be in the circuit.

Where the ice pellet making unit is mounted in the freezing compartment as depicted in FIG. 4, the control circuit may be the same as shown in full outline in FIG. 2 except that it will be desirable to have the tray heater 130 constantly on to prevent the water in the tray from freezing and therefore it may be connected directly into the electric current supply as indicated in dash outline in FIG. 2. In such instance the heater will not be connected with the control switch 128. In other words, that portion of the circuit identified at 130a will be eliminated.

In all forms of the invention, when the user wishes to have the ice pellet maker operate, he turns the switch 128 on as enabled by a suitable similarly identified manually operable knob on the outside of the cabinet. He may at the same time adjust the pellet size selector through its knob 68. This starts the stud carrying member, whether the belt or the drum of the unit in operation and also starts the fan to bring the cold air into the heat transfer chamber to provide freezing temperature for the studs. When the predetermined pellet size has been reached, the sensor of the selector functions to operate the sensor switch which thereby instructs the actuating arm of the harvester to move the harvester into harvesting position relative to the stud carrier, that is, causes current to flow to the resistance heater of the bimetal actuating arm causing it to bend from the harvesting fork inactivating position to the harvesting form activating position. It will be understood that if desired suitable control means may be provided in the pellet receiving receptacle or storage bin to stop operation of the ice maker when the bin is full. This would involve only slight modification of the circuit depicted in FIG. 2 to place a normally closed switch under the control of means in the storage bin which will respond to bin loading, either by weight or by filling of the bin volume to open such a control switch and thus stop operation of the ice making unit until more ice pellets are required to fill the bin. Thus, the appara tus may be left on indefinitely to operate automatically on a demand basis as the supply in the bin is depleted. Of course, from time to time it may be necessary to stop the unit for clean out of the water tray or for other reasons and then the master control switch 128 can be operated to break the control circuit until resumption of operation is desired.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an ice pellet maker:

means providing a water supply;

means including freezing studs movable orbitally to enter and leave the water supply for build up of ice pellets on the studs; and

normally inactive harvesting means selectively operable for removal of the ice pellets from the studs;

said harvesting means including a mechanical device for engaging and stripping the ice pellets from the studs.

2. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, in-

cluding pellet-size determining means operative to activate said harvesting means and including a pellet-size sensor member engageable by the crowns of the pellets carried by the studs. 3. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 2, said member being a pivoted lever overlying the studs, said pellet-size determining means including a device controllably coupled with said harvesting means, and said lever operatively controlling said device.

4. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 3, including an electrical control circuit providing the coupling means, said device comprising a micro-switch generally overlying the lever and including an actuator directed toward the lever, and said lever engaging said actuator to operate the switch when the desired size of pellets has developed on the orbitally moving studs.

5. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 4, said switch being adjustably mounted, and means for adjusting said switch to effect selection of any of a range of pellet-sizes by the relative adjustment of the switch on said actuator with respect to said lever.

6. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 5, a housing enclosing all of said means, and a digitally operable control knob accessible on the outside of said housing for effecting operation of said adjusting means.

7. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, an orbitally movable carrier supporting said studs, and said device comprising a stripper fork engageable with the ice pellets between said carrier and the pellets for ejecting the pellets from the studs.

8. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 2, electrically energized means under the control of said pelletsize determining means for operating said mechanical device.

9. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, said device comprising a pivotally mounted stripper fork, an electro-thermal bimetallic actuating arm having a link connecting it with the fork, and electrically powered means operatively connecting a pellet-size determining means with said arm to control operation of said arm between a fork inactivating position and a fork activating position.

10. In an ice pellet maker: means including freezing studs movable orbitally; a water tray; means for supporting said water tray in a functional position for dipping of the freezing studs thereinto and operable to lower the tray out of the reach of the freezing studs; 4

means for furnishing water to fill the tray;

means for controlling said water furnishing means including a float located to ride in the water in the tray and operative to maintain a desirable water level in the tray; and

tray-controlled means inactivated by the tray in its functioning position and becoming operative when the tray is lowered to inactivate said water controlling means.

11. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 10, said tray-controlled means including a trip lever normally biased into active position and engageable with the tray which drives the lever in opposition to its bias when the tray is in said functioning position.

12. In an ice pellet maker:

means providing a water supply;

a fluid impervious orbitally movable carrier defining a heat transfer chamber therein and having freezing studs projecting outwardly thereon provided with heat transfer means extending into said chamber;

means providing spaced parallel bearing surfaces with which opposite sides of said carrier are slidably engaged in sealing relations to enclose said chamber; and

means for circulating sub-freezing fluid through one of said surfaces and through said chamber in heat transfer relation to said heat transfer means of the studs.

13. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 12, a housing having side walls, and said bearing surfaces being on said side walls.

14. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 12, including means for driving said carrier, a blower actuated by said driving means, and a duct associated with said blower for directing sub-freezing air from a freezing compartment of a refrigerator as the sub-freezing fluid into said heat transfer chamber.

15. An ice pellet maker according to claim 12, including in combination therewith a refrigerator having a freezing compartment, said means for circulating sub-freezing fluid being in communication with said freezing compartment for directing sub-freezing air as the sub-freezing fluid into said chamber, and means effecting return flow communication from said chamber into said freezing compartment.

16. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 5, said means for adjusting comprising a digitally operable member and an adjusting cam operable by said digitally operable member, and means normally biasing said switch toward said cam.

17. in an ice pellet maker according to claim 7, said orbitally movable carrier comprising an endless belt.

18. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 7, said orbitally movable carrier comprising a drum.

19. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, a bimetallic actuator coupled with said mechanical device for moving the device into and out of engaging and stripping relation to the ice pellets, and means for selectively operating the actuator.

20. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, said device comprising a pivotally mounted stripper fork, an electro-thermal bimetallic actuating arm coupled with the fork.

21. An ice pellet maker according to claim 10, wherein said means for supporting the water tray comprise a supporting bracket including a horizontal supporting flange shelf engageable with the bottom of the tray and having an integral downturned mounting flange along one edge for close sliding engagement with a supporting member, and means for relative sliding mounting connection of said mounting flange with said supporting member comprising fixed horizontally spaced shouldered rivets extending through identical cooperatively related horizontally spaced generally dog-leg slots each provided with a horizontal lower portion and an upwardly diagonal portion extending obliquely away from the horizontal portion, whereby when the rivets are engaged in the horizontal portions of the slots the shelf supports the tray in its uppermost position and when the shelf and flange are shifted to engage the rivets in the diagonal portions of the slots the shelf and flange are lowered and thereby the tray lowered with the shelf.

22. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 21, said shelf slidably supporting the tray bottom, and means guiding the tray for straight vertical lowering and raising movement with said bracket.

23. In an ice pellet maker:

means providing a water supply;

means including freezing studs movable orbitally to enter and leave the water supply for build up of ice pellets on the studs;

normally inactive harvesting means selectively operable for removal of the ice pellets from the studs;

a housing enclosing said means and having an open bottom;

said water supply means including a water tray;

means supporting said water tray and operable to move the tray between an operative position in the lower open portion of the housing in position to have the studs dip thereinto in their orbital movements;

means for providing the tray with water from a source;

a float-controlled device for controlling said water source connecting means to maintain a desirable water level in the tray in the operating position of the tray; and

trip means normally inactivated by the tray in its operating position and operative when the tray is lowered from said operating position to inactivate said float-controlled device.

24. in an ice pellet maker:

a carrier in the form of an endless belt comprising hingedly connected sections of low heat transfer material and adapted to be mounted for orbital travel about spaced pulleys;

respective freezing studs of high heat transfer material mounted on said sections and having pellet freezing portions projecting from said sections outwardly relative to the belt and having heat transfer portions projecting from said sections inwardly relative to the belt; and

square pulleys mounting said carrier and having traction faces of complementary size to said sections, said pulleys having corners registering with the hinge connections in travel of the belt over the pulleys.

25. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 24, said pulleys comprising aligned spaced parallel panels, at

least one of which panels has openings thereinto for freezing fluid circulation into a heat transfer chamber defined within the carrier.

26. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 24, a stripper fork positioned for engagement with said belt adjacent one of the pulleys, and means for selectively moving the stripper fork between an inactive position and a position wherein the fork lies against the belt to engage and strip ice pellets from said studs in the movement of the belt to carry the studs toward the stripper fork. said 27. In an ice pellet maker:

a carrier in the form of an endless belt comprising hingedly connected sections of low heat transfer material;

respective freezing studs of high heat transfer material mounted on said sections and having pellet freezing portions projecting from said sections outwardly relative to the belt and having heat transfer portions projecting from said sections inwardly relative to the belt;

spaced pulleys having angularly related traction surfaces matching said belt sections and joining at corners;

said belt being mounted for orbital travel about the pulleys;

said carrier comprising a one-piece plastic molding provided with integral reduced thickness hinges between and connecting the sections and registering with said corners of the pulleys. 

1. In an ice pellet maker: means providing a water supply; means including freezing studs movable orbitally to enter and leave the water supply for build up of ice pellets on the studs; and normally inactive harvesting means selectively operable for removal of the ice pellets from the studs; said harvesting means including a mechanical device for engaging and stripping the ice pellets from the studs.
 2. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, including pellet-size determining means operative to activate said harvesting means and including a pellet-size sensor member engageable by the crowns of the pellets carried by the studs.
 3. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 2, said member being a pivoted lever overlying the studs, said pellet-size determining means including a device controllably coupled with said harvesting means, and said lever operatively controlling said device.
 4. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 3, including an electrical control circuit providing the coupling means, said device comprising a micro-switch generally overlying the lever and including an actuator directed toward the lever, and said lever engaging said actuator to operate the switch when the desired size of pellets has developed on the Orbitally moving studs.
 5. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 4, said switch being adjustably mounted, and means for adjusting said switch to effect selection of any of a range of pellet-sizes by the relative adjustment of the switch on said actuator with respect to said lever.
 6. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 5, a housing enclosing all of said means, and a digitally operable control knob accessible on the outside of said housing for effecting operation of said adjusting means.
 7. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, an orbitally movable carrier supporting said studs, and said device comprising a stripper fork engageable with the ice pellets between said carrier and the pellets for ejecting the pellets from the studs.
 8. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 2, electrically energized means under the control of said pellet-size determining means for operating said mechanical device.
 9. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, said device comprising a pivotally mounted stripper fork, an electro-thermal bimetallic actuating arm having a link connecting it with the fork, and electrically powered means operatively connecting a pellet-size determining means with said arm to control operation of said arm between a fork inactivating position and a fork activating position.
 10. In an ice pellet maker: means including freezing studs movable orbitally; a water tray; means for supporting said water tray in a functional position for dipping of the freezing studs thereinto and operable to lower the tray out of the reach of the freezing studs; means for furnishing water to fill the tray; means for controlling said water furnishing means including a float located to ride in the water in the tray and operative to maintain a desirable water level in the tray; and tray-controlled means inactivated by the tray in its functioning position and becoming operative when the tray is lowered to inactivate said water controlling means.
 11. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 10, said tray-controlled means including a trip lever normally biased into active position and engageable with the tray which drives the lever in opposition to its bias when the tray is in said functioning position.
 12. In an ice pellet maker: means providing a water supply; a fluid impervious orbitally movable carrier defining a heat transfer chamber therein and having freezing studs projecting outwardly thereon provided with heat transfer means extending into said chamber; means providing spaced parallel bearing surfaces with which opposite sides of said carrier are slidably engaged in sealing relations to enclose said chamber; and means for circulating sub-freezing fluid through one of said surfaces and through said chamber in heat transfer relation to said heat transfer means of the studs.
 13. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 12, a housing having side walls, and said bearing surfaces being on said side walls.
 14. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 12, including means for driving said carrier, a blower actuated by said driving means, and a duct associated with said blower for directing sub-freezing air from a freezing compartment of a refrigerator as the sub-freezing fluid into said heat transfer chamber.
 15. An ice pellet maker according to claim 12, including in combination therewith a refrigerator having a freezing compartment, said means for circulating sub-freezing fluid being in communication with said freezing compartment for directing sub-freezing air as the sub-freezing fluid into said chamber, and means effecting return flow communication from said chamber into said freezing compartment.
 16. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 5, said means for adjusting comprising a digitally operable member and an adjusting cam operable by said digitally operable member, and means normally biasing said switch toward said cam.
 17. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 7, said orbitally movable carrier comprising an endless belt.
 18. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 7, said orbitally movable carrier comprising a drum.
 19. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, a bimetallic actuator coupled with said mechanical device for moving the device into and out of engaging and stripping relation to the ice pellets, and means for selectively operating the actuator.
 20. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 1, said device comprising a pivotally mounted stripper fork, an electro-thermal bimetallic actuating arm coupled with the fork.
 21. An ice pellet maker according to claim 10, wherein said means for supporting the water tray comprise a supporting bracket including a horizontal supporting flange shelf engageable with the bottom of the tray and having an integral downturned mounting flange along one edge for close sliding engagement with a supporting member, and means for relative sliding mounting connection of said mounting flange with said supporting member comprising fixed horizontally spaced shouldered rivets extending through identical cooperatively related horizontally spaced generally dog-leg slots each provided with a horizontal lower portion and an upwardly diagonal portion extending obliquely away from the horizontal portion, whereby when the rivets are engaged in the horizontal portions of the slots the shelf supports the tray in its uppermost position and when the shelf and flange are shifted to engage the rivets in the diagonal portions of the slots the shelf and flange are lowered and thereby the tray lowered with the shelf.
 22. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 21, said shelf slidably supporting the tray bottom, and means guiding the tray for straight vertical lowering and raising movement with said bracket.
 23. In an ice pellet maker: means providing a water supply; means including freezing studs movable orbitally to enter and leave the water supply for build up of ice pellets on the studs; normally inactive harvesting means selectively operable for removal of the ice pellets from the studs; a housing enclosing said means and having an open bottom; said water supply means including a water tray; means supporting said water tray and operable to move the tray between an operative position in the lower open portion of the housing in position to have the studs dip thereinto in their orbital movements; means for providing the tray with water from a source; a float-controlled device for controlling said water source connecting means to maintain a desirable water level in the tray in the operating position of the tray; and trip means normally inactivated by the tray in its operating position and operative when the tray is lowered from said operating position to inactivate said float-controlled device.
 24. In an ice pellet maker: a carrier in the form of an endless belt comprising hingedly connected sections of low heat transfer material and adapted to be mounted for orbital travel about spaced pulleys; respective freezing studs of high heat transfer material mounted on said sections and having pellet freezing portions projecting from said sections outwardly relative to the belt and having heat transfer portions projecting from said sections inwardly relative to the belt; and square pulleys mounting said carrier and having traction faces of complementary size to said sections, said pulleys having corners registering with the hinge connections in travel of the belt over the pulleys.
 25. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 24, said pulleys comprising aligned spaced parallel panels, at least one of which panels has openings thereinto for freezing fluid circulation into a heat transfer chamber defined within the carrier.
 26. In an ice pellet maker according to claim 24, a stripper fork positioned for engagement with said belt adjacent one of the pulleys, and means for selectively moving the stripper fork between an inactive positIon and a position wherein the fork lies against the belt to engage and strip ice pellets from said studs in the movement of the belt to carry the studs toward the stripper fork. said
 27. In an ice pellet maker: a carrier in the form of an endless belt comprising hingedly connected sections of low heat transfer material; respective freezing studs of high heat transfer material mounted on said sections and having pellet freezing portions projecting from said sections outwardly relative to the belt and having heat transfer portions projecting from said sections inwardly relative to the belt; spaced pulleys having angularly related traction surfaces matching said belt sections and joining at corners; said belt being mounted for orbital travel about the pulleys; said carrier comprising a one-piece plastic molding provided with integral reduced thickness hinges between and connecting the sections and registering with said corners of the pulleys. 